General Confederation of Labour ( it, Confederazione Generale del Lavoro, CGdL) was an Italian labor union, founded in 1906, under the initiative of
socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
militants. Having survived the
Fascist dictatorship
A right-wing dictatorship, sometimes also referred to as a rightist dictatorship or right-wing authoritarianism, is an authoritarian or sometimes totalitarian regime following right-wing policies. Right-wing dictatorships are typically character ...
and the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
as an underground organization, the CGL joined the cross-party
CGIL
The Italian General Confederation of Labour (; CGIL) is a national trade union based in Italy. It was formed by agreement between socialists, communists, and Christian democrats in the "Pact of Rome" of June 1944. In 1950, socialists and Christi ...
labor federation in 1945.
History
Founding
The Confederazione Generale del Lavoro was founded 1 October 1906 but its formation goes back to the first
Camera del Lavoro
A list of national trade union centers in Italy include:
Trade union centers Main national trade union centers
The following three confederal trade unions are considered and recognised by the Italian Republic as relevant counterpart:
* Italian Ge ...
(Workers' Hall) begun in Milan in 1891, and to the founding of its largest constituent unions (especially the
FIOM national metal workers' union created in 1901). The CGdL's first secretary was the
Reformist
Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement.
Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can eve ...
Socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
Rinaldo Rigola
Rinaldo Rigola (2 February 1868 – 10 January 1954) was an Italian socialist politician who served as the founding secretary general of the General Confederation of Labour in 1906.
Biography
Rigola was born in Biella 2 February 1868. He was a ...
(1906–1918). It affiliated to the
International Secretariat of National Trade Union Centres
The International Secretariat of National Trade Union Centres (ISNTUC), often simply referred to as the International Secretariat and later renamed the International Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), was an international consultative body of trade ...
.
Growth and decline
In the first few years, membership of the federation grew rapidly, reaching 383,770 in 1911. It then fell, but boomed at the end of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and by 1920 had reached a peak, of 2,200,100. Over time, the trades councils became less important, and the national industrial unions became the dominant force; the CGdL itself always lacked authority, with affiliates freely joining and leaving. During the war, it was the only major European trade union federation to oppose its government's participation in the conflict.
After the war, the federation was reluctant to follow the more radical line of the
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party (, PSI) was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy, whose history stretched for longer than a century, making it one of the longest-living parties of the country.
Founded in Genoa in 1892, ...
, and this led Rigola to resign in 1918. He was replaced by fellow reformist
Ludovico D'Aragona
Ludovico D'Aragona (23 May 1876 – 17 June 1961) was an Italian socialist politician who held several government posts. He also served at the Italian Parliament and Senate.
Biography
D'Aragona was born in Cernusco sul Naviglio, Milan, on 23 May ...
. The unions undertook a major campaign for a maximum eight-hour working day, but this was soon overtaken by the rise of fascism. The CGdL formed an Alliance of Labour with the syndicalist USI and UIL, which called a
general strike
A general strike refers to a strike action in which participants cease all economic activity, such as working, to strengthen the bargaining position of a trade union or achieve a common social or political goal. They are organised by large co ...
in 1922, but achieved little.
Membership of the federation began falling, and by 1924 was down to only 200,000. Its leaders proclaimed that it was apolitical, in the hope of avoiding a ban, but after the right to strike was abolished, in 1926, it could do little.
Bruno Buozzi
Bruno may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname
* Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880)
* Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne, ...
became the general secretary in January 1926, but was forced to flee the country later in the year. On 4 January 1927, the federation decided to dissolve itself.
Underground and Liberation
The decision to disband was opposed by communists, and by left socialists like Buozzi. The communists held a secret trade union congress in Milan in February 1927, also attended by some left-wing socialists. Little activity was possible, and the members largely began working in the official fascist trade unions, in the hope of inspiring resistance.
Buozzi, based in France, also maintained a CGdL in exile, which had little influence in Italy. In 1936, he and the communists announced that they had agreed to co-operate, which had little immediate impact, but paved the way for a resurgence of trade union activity in the later part of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Postwar
After its forced suspension, unions were reconstituted under the
Pact of Rome (3 June 1944), confederating the socialist, communist and
Christian Democrat
Christian democracy (sometimes named Centrist democracy) is a political ideology that emerged in 19th-century Europe under the influence of Catholic social teaching and neo-Calvinism.
It was conceived as a combination of modern democratic ...
unions in the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labor). The influence of the PCI and
Palmiro Togliatti
Palmiro Michele Nicola Togliatti (; 26 March 1893 – 21 August 1964) was an Italian politician and leader of the Italian Communist Party from 1927 until his death. He was nicknamed ("The Best") by his supporters. In 1930 he became a citizen of ...
, was strong in the federation, and in 1948 the PSI and Christian Democrat unions left to form the
UIL and
CISL.
Affiliates
The following unions were in existence by 1902, and were later involved with the CGdL:
General Secretaries
:1906:
Rinaldo Rigola
Rinaldo Rigola (2 February 1868 – 10 January 1954) was an Italian socialist politician who served as the founding secretary general of the General Confederation of Labour in 1906.
Biography
Rigola was born in Biella 2 February 1868. He was a ...
:1918:
Ludovico D'Aragona
Ludovico D'Aragona (23 May 1876 – 17 June 1961) was an Italian socialist politician who held several government posts. He also served at the Italian Parliament and Senate.
Biography
D'Aragona was born in Cernusco sul Naviglio, Milan, on 23 May ...
:1926: Bruno Buozzi
:1926: Battista Magilone
See also
*
Italian General Confederation of Labour
The Italian General Confederation of Labour (; CGIL) is a national trade union based in Italy. It was formed by agreement between socialists, communists, and Christian democrats in the "Pact of Rome" of June 1944. In 1950, socialists and Christi ...
, the CGL's direct descendant.
Bibliography
*Antonio Alosco, ''Alle origini del sindacalismo, La ricostruzione della CGL nell’Italia liberata (1943–1944)'', Prefazione di Giorgio Benvenuto, SugarCo Edizioni, Milano, 1979.
*Arturo Peregalli, ''L’altra Resistenza. Il PCI e le opposizioni di sinistra in Italia 1943-1945'', Graphos, Genova, 1991.
References
{{Authority control
Trade unions in Italy
Modern history of Italy
1906 establishments in Italy
Trade unions established in 1906
Trade unions disestablished in 1927